Just a Nightmare
by aralana765
Summary: Dastan has two problems. He can't tell his new wife the truth, and he hasn't been able to mourn the deaths of his family. Oneshot. Spoilers if you haven't seen the end.


"_How can I trust the man who breached the walls of my city?" Tamina asked him. __"__Well," Dastan replied. "I'm starting to think I'm no longer the same man who breached those walls." Tamina looked at him curiously. __"__That's a short time for a man to change so much." Dastan smiled at his private joke. Short time indeed. "Perhaps." Tamina thought about it. "It sounds as if you've discovered something here." __"__And what might that be?" He asked, though he knew what she would probably say. "A new spiritual awareness." He had been right. "Destiny," he countered. Tamina looked at him in surprise, obviously not expecting the Lion of Persia to know of such things. "Yes," she said slowly. "Exactly." Dastan thought of all that had happened over the last few nonexistent weeks. "I believe we make our own destiny, Princess." Tamina rolled her eyes, as Dastan had known she would. "You have an unfortunate lack of curiosity."_

Tamina and Dastan were married ten days after the dagger had been returned. It was a beautiful ceremony, with King Sharaman overseeing. All the Persians and Talamutians rejoiced. In the time before, Tamina had continued to question Dastan, but he still refused to tell her all that had happened. Or rather, all that had not happened. But more importantly, he had had no time alone. No time to mourn the people he loved who had died. His father, Bis, Garsiv, Tus, and Tamina. Even his Uncle's death broke his heart. But he could not be upset about any of this around anyone. They couldn't know.

Finally, the night after the wedding, he let it out. Tamina had been sleeping when she heard a noise. She opened her eyes and saw her new husband with his back to her. His shoulders shook, so he seemed to be sobbing silently. "Dastan?" She sat up and placed a hand on his shoulder. There was silence for a moment, as though he were collecting himself. "Yes Princess?" he spoke in the cocky, confident voice he always did, but there was something harsh below it. "Dastan what is it? You can tell me. I am your wife, now." He sat still for a moment, and then turned to face her. There were tear streaks down his face. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, she only knew that it hurt him, and she found that she didn't like to see him this way. She hurt for him. "I didn't get to mourn to them," he said, keeping Tamina as confused as ever. "I shouldn't need to. It never happened. It was simply a… a nightmare." he said, trying not to reveal the truth. But Tamina understood. He was speaking of his encounter with the dagger. "Tell me about your nightmare, Dastan. Who couldn't you mourn? Let me help you." He reached out and grabbed her hand, needing her comfort. "All of them. They all died. Father first. People blamed me and Bis stood up for me. He died then, protecting me. Garsiv and Tus hunted me down for my father's murder. When Garsiv found us, he finally trusted me. But they killed him. Then Tus. My whole family, gone. Then…" Tamina was shocked. How had so much happened, then been changed. There was only enough sand for a minutes change in time. "Then what, Dastan?" He looked up at her, his eyes filled. "Then you." He turned around again, and wept, while Tamina sat in silent shock. She understood how much he needed this now. He had lost his family, his best friend. She wasn't sure how she fit into this story, but he had been hurt by her loss as well. He wept for a long while, finally allowed the time to hurt for his losses, though they now hadn't happened, and would not happen again.

After he had settle down, he lay back on his pillow. Tamina had to ask, "Was it this nightmare that brought about your belief in Destiny?" Dastan shut his eyes. "Yes. And truly, I do believe in Destiny, but I believe a man with the right tools can change it. They can fight for it, fight for a different ending to his life." There was silence again.

"Thank you" he finally whispered. Tamina curled up into his strong arms, realizing again how noble this man was. "For what?" He smiled slightly. "For this. For listening. I needed this." Tamina also smiled. "There is no need for more weeping now," she said. "Remember Dastan. It never happened. It was only a nightmare."


End file.
